Fall like rain
by dark-nexus17
Summary: The rain is pouring outside Charles window, and he knows that a storm is coming, but for now it doesn't matter, and he is content. Cherik, fluffier than usual.


**Title: Fall like rain**

**Pairings: Charles/Erik**

**Warnings: Slash, smut, some vague angst, some fluff. Scared Erik, because he's cute, and even hard-core guys like him get scared.**

**Summary: The rain is pouring outside Charles window, and he knows that a storm is coming, but for now it doesn't matter, and he is content. Set mostly before Cuba.**

**Disclaimer: If I owned X men First Class and therefore the acting talents of the collective FassAvoy, they would be doing more interesting things, believe me.**

**A/N: Haven't written in a few days, work and other such nonsense got in the way. This is yet another sad one-shot, because there just aren't enough of them in this fandom . There is however, a bit more tenderness and fluff in this one than I generally put in.**

The sky is charcoal black as it divulges its contents upon the Earth. Charles was always afraid of storms as a child, as many children are, but now he enjoys them. He enjoys experiencing the thunder and lightning; appreciating the raw power of nature. His study is warm and comfortable, offering a sharp contrast to the drenched world outside. He is so absorbed in the patterns the rain is making on his window that he doesn't notice Erik walk into the room.

Erik is his own personal storm, filled with all the power of nature combined with his own considerable power that seems to emanate from him, drawing Charles into the eye.

'Erik,' Charles says after a moment, turning to face his friend. 'What can I do for you?'

'I think you should rephrase that Charles, into, what can I do you for?' Erik replies, his eyes glinting in the firelight, and his mouth twisted up into the lustful half smile that only Charles gets to witness.

Charles' breath catches in his throat for a minute, before he counters with;

'I believe you're the one usually doing me Erik.'

Erik laughs at that, but there is something tense about him, guarded. Charles notices that his lover's hands are clenched into fists, and that he is trembling slightly, even though the room is warm and inviting. He rises from his chair and walks over to Erik, lifts his hand to the older man's cheek.

'What's wrong, love?' he asks softly.

Erik pauses for a moment, fighting an internal battle. Finally he murmurs,

'I don't like storms.'

For a moment, Charles wants to laugh, Erik is always so strong and confidant, fazed by nothing, afraid of nothing it often seems. Charles always looks to him for strength. He looks up into Erik's eyes, and he doesn't have to be a telepath to know what it must have cost his usually fearless lover to admit this small example of what he would term weakness.

'Oh love,' He says, 'you don't have to be afraid anymore, I'm here to keep you safe.'

He draws Erik to him, and kisses him gently, pouring feelings of love and safety into the kiss, in the hope that it will comfort and reassure his friend. It appears to work, because Erik returns the kiss with force, until they have to draw breath or pass out. They undress one another slowly, tenderly, and as Erik sinks into Charles he feels whole and unafraid. When he comes undone Charles holds him, and then kisses the tears that Erik refuses to admit are there away.

Later, they are lying on the rug by the fire, and Charles is stroking Erik's hair as he listens to the rain pound on the roof. Erik is asleep, looking peaceful for once, and Charles realises that whether he's in the eye of the storm or the clam before it, that it will hit him soon, and that he very well may be consumed by it.

xXx

Two months later, Charles is gazing out at another charcoal sky, and this time the tears are on his face, but there is no one to wipe them away, and so they fall, like the rain.

**A/N: Reviews are pleasant things that make Charles and Erik happy, which in my fics, is a pretty rare thing. They understand however, that reviews take time that you may not have, they of course are far too busy shagging like bunnies to bother doing much else.**


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